Current Postdoctoral Fellows

Dr. Seth Downing is a postdoctoral associate in the Department of Psychiatry. He has clinical expertise and research interest in obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma-related disorders. He has extensive training in cognitive behavioral therapy and specializes in exposure-based approaches.

Dr. Beatriz “Betty” Mendez, Ph.D. is a post-doctoral fellow providing evidence-based treatment to children, adolescents and families for behavior concerns, with a primary focus on Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Dr. Mendez completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology at The University of Alabama and her predoctoral internship at The University of Alabama at Birmingham and Children’s of Alabama. Her training has concentrated on the psychological evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents, with particular clinical and research interests in childhood disruptive behavior disorders and related difficulties. She is specially interested in evidenced-based interventions designed to treat behavioral concerns early on and thus help maximize positive outcomes for youth and families, such as PCIT. In her spare time, Dr. Mendez enjoys hiking, playing with her cat, and exploring new places.

Dr. Jake Steggerda, PhD is a postdoctoral fellow trained in evidence-based psychotherapy and assessment for children, adolescents, adults, and families. He completed his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of Arkansas and his internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Steggerda’s clinical area of expertise is in the treatment of childhood disruptive behaviors, primarily using Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT).

Additionally, Dr. Steggerda is passionate about integrating research with clinical practice and has published close to two dozen academic research papers and/or book chapters broadly related to evidence-based interventions for childhood disruptive behavior, elementary school children’s peer relationships, and scale development. In his free time, Dr. Steggerda enjoys playing pickleball, fantasy football, cooking, baking, and spending time with his dog.